Kala UBass Megathread, Part 7

[bluebird28]

tymbrewolf, is this anything you'd be interested in duplicating for someone else and what would the price be?

 

[tymbrewolf]

It's really too easy to make yourself.

 

[bluebird28]

Can you show a close up of where and how thick the foam is? What type of suction cup and where did you get them? What makes 1 better than the other?

 

[Timmypbass]

Hi,
I recently slipped on the ice and crushed the back of my ubass. It's a solid body, mahogany, fretless model. Everything about the bass is fine except for the back of the body.

Does anyone know of a place I can either sell it - or sell parts of it for other people that need them for repairs?

 

[Gorn]

Ugh. That's rough. I don't expect you'll get much for it. Do you have pictures? Maybe it's salvageable.

 

[Timmypbass]

I don't have pictures here at my job (I'm a piano and bass instructor) but it is a perfectly intact, solid mahogany body model with the back of the body pressed in.

It's only been used for about 7-10 gigs and is otherwise in like new condition.

Ugh. That's rough. I don't expect you'll get much for it. Do you have pictures? Maybe it's salvageable.

Tim

 

[tymbrewolf]

send me a pm. i am interested in maybe buying it. i need private contact info.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Quick question for the ubass experts...

I'm selling a solidbody sub that I bought in early 2012. The buyer (on craigslist) wants to know if it's active or passive, and what kind of battery it uses if active. I never really used the bass, and haven't a clue . I know it's not the rechargeable ubass... but I know nothing about the battery, where it goes, or if it even takes or needs one. I imagine so. Can someone please help? I need to get back to this guy ASAP and I'm off to work now, or I'd research it myself. Thanks in advance.

 

[TrickPanda]

Mine has a battery compartment next to the jack socket. Just opened it up and there are two hearing aid/digital watch type batteries.

Doh, I didn't read your post properly, sorry. Mine isn't a solid body, but you could look there anyway

 

[jburtonca]

The early subs use two CR2032 coin batteries.
Jeff

 

[Double E]

It is active and it uses a 9 volt battery...at least mine does.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Gee... Now that was helpful. . I guess I'm not going to know unless I have a look at the bass. I know it's not a 9 volt, and I know it's not rechargeable, so my best guess is it's the CR2032. If that is the case where do they go?

 

[jburtonca]

The more recent subs use one 9 volt battery, but the older ones like yours (and mine) use the coin batteries.

Jeff

 

[jburtonca]

Gee... Now that was helpful. . I guess I'm not going to know unless I have a look at the bass. I know it's not a 9 volt, and I know it's not rechargeable, so my best guess is it's the CR2032. If that is the case where do they go?

Open the control plate on the back of the bass. You will see them. They are clearly visible.

Jeff

 

[SBassman]

My recollection matches what has been posted:
early SUBs had the watch batteries, later subs have the 9Vs.

I don't think any SUBs have rechargeables. Isn't that exclusively a U.S. Cali thing?

 

[davewave]

I don't think any SUBs have rechargeables. Isn't that exclusively a U.S. Cali thing?

Correct, that is a Mi-Si thing, used in their guitar and uke pre-amps as well.
Technically, it's not a rechargeable battery, but a capacitor that is charged with a 9 volt power supply

 

[scrambledeggs21]

I've had a Kala Rumbler for a while now and I want to change the strings on it. Problem with the Rumbler is that unlike the other Kala u bass there is no back panel for restrining. The bridge to string the new strings through is to far away from the hole to be be to manipulate the stings into the hole. If someone could either give me answer or better, link to a post that answers this question, I would really appreciate it.

 

[scotch]

Came across this in Tokyo's Ochanomizu guitar district. A Chinese made U-Bass clone with no preamp branded 'Waikiki'. I didn't play it, but just adding to the general knowledge of what's out there.

33,000 Yen is about $330 usd. Quality looked good and strings appeared to be regular Aquila Thunderguts.

 

[davewave]

...The bridge to string the new strings through is to far away from the hole to be be to manipulate the stings into the hole...

Rather than try to blindly fish the tuner end of the string down into the sound hole and up through the bridge, try going the other direction.
Insert the string from the top, and then use a wire coat hanger, etc. inserted into the sound hole to snag the string.
If the replacement strings have crimped ends, you can cut them off and tie a knot in the string after it's threaded through the bridge.

Or use an old string as a "leader" and fish it from the top, attach it to the replacement string and pull it through from the sound hole.

 

[davewave]

So, took me longer than expected but here are some pictures of the Harely Benton Kahuna fretless I bought:

Thanks for sharing, that's a great set of photos, very informative.

The position of the tuners means the E and A strings are rubbing on one another after the nut:

I've seen factory photos of Martin ukuleles with the "outer" strings, in this case the E and G, wound on the opposite or outer side of the tuner post.
Makes it a bit confusing remembering which direction to turn the tuners ?